Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“I felt threatened and unsafe”

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I was walking through a bar on the boardwalk.

I was going through a less crowded area when one of the two stocky guys standing against the wall yelled out to “sexy”. I continued to keep my eyes adverted and my head down.

A split second later when I had passed by, he yelled in a more aggressive tone that “I was a bitch for not saying thank you.”

Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski (Flickr)

I mumbled “Thank you” as I picked up my pace and was extremely shaken.

For a few years after I would respond immediately with “thank you” to any unsolicited cat call.

It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realized I wasn’t the one who did something wrong! There’s a polite way to compliment someone and it’s rude to cat call.  I don’t have to tolerate it and I surely do not need to thank anyone for that.

We must teach respect. Don’t treat people in a way that you wouldn’t want your mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, or son to be treated.

~ Anonymous

Location:

Ocean City, New Jersey

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

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See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“I’m 14 and I was catcalled today!”

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I’m 14 and I was catcalled today.

At lunch I was with two friends and we were rushing back to school. As we were crossing the street two men whistled from a far and told me and my friend to come over. I kept walking as soon as I realized what was happening and then started to run.

One of my friends was very paranoid, he’s a guy and thought they were following us.

My other friend, who is a girl, didn’t really know what was happening, just followed our lead. As soon as we saw a cop car near by we relaxed but stayed quiet.

We got to school and I had a math test so I did it, still secretly shaking. I tried to stay strong but I was crying on the inside.

I’m a pretty large girl so I have pretty large boobs, I couldn’t stop covering them for hours. I couldn’t stop thinking what could have happened, if we hadn’t run.

My girl friend just kinda ignored it and from what she told me it didn’t affect her at all. The guy twisted the whole story so he looked like the hero and everyone forgot about it about an hour after it happened. Except for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I cried so much thinking it was my fault. I’m scared that it will happen again.

I’m afraid to go there again and I’m always the one that just goes for it.

I couldn’t tell anyone in my family. And barely friends. They weren’t there. They didn’t understand why I felt the way I felt. This helped a little to get over my fear a bit.

But please… Never do that to anyone… I believe their exact words were a classic “you’re hot” whistle and then… “Vení mamacita”.

If you’re one of that guys.. Never do that again. I was really hurt. Especially if I’m underage and you are older than me! I hope if someone who does this reads this they stop! 100% this happened. It is real. But I hope it wasn’t.

– S.F.

Location:

On the streets in Argentina

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“We need more routine public patrolling by police officers on streets”

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I was walking on the street barely 10 meters from my house when this vulgar piece of human starts chanting obscure songs as he passed by me.

He had the guts to look back whether I was looking at him or not!!

And the next day A boy almost 12 did the same!!

Now that shows how educated our country is!!

We need routine public patrolling by police officers on streets and in buses.

Dear parents of overly spoiled boy…

As a matter of fact, sensitivity training for young men in your homes would be enough!

Thanking you,

Women of your nation

– “Distressed” (Anonymous)

Location:

New Delhi, India

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“It angers me that I’ve experienced all this [harassment]”

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It was as simple as walking past my local supermarket.

Some teenage boys began shouting random things at me as I walked past them. It’s amazing how many clever retorts I’ve planned to this in my head.

But when the moment comes and I am being harassed, I’m speechless.

I’m usually a surprisingly quick witted young girl, but instead I shouted ‘piss off’ which I felt was not my finest hour. But the reply just came to me.  I shouldn’t have to think of some snappy reply.

It shouldn’t happen. I shouldn’t be blaming myself for not handling the situation well enough when the situation should never have occurred in the first place.

I’m 15 years old, so still a child. I’ve been leered at by older men and I’ve been catcalled multiple times.

It angers me that I’ve experienced all this and I’m not even an adult yet.

We must educate young boys on how to respect women of all ages so that they do understand what is and what isn’t acceptable.

– Amelia

Location: London, England

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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“This is the worst insult…”

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Mexico City, about 1992. Summer.

I was in my early forties, on business after a vacation in Oaxaca. Wearing a simple summer dress, had no conservative clothes for the unexpected trip.

Waiting to cross the street on Insurgentes, near the park downtown at the bus stop.

I’m tall, and this guy looks me up and down, trying to intimidate me. What are you looking at? He stammers, he’s right besides me “You’re beautiful.”

Well, I told him, “Tell me that. You have a wife? A mother, daughters, don’t you?” He gets angry.

The bus comes, he jumps on it. It’s full of men.

He opens the bus window and pokes out his head so all the others can hear:. Chinga tu madre!

This is the worst insult, about my mother. I was expecting it. Realize he’s afraid of my power.

I laugh as the bus takes off.

We need to have more video cameras monitoring our streets to end street harassment.

— Bárbara Renaud Gonzalez

Location:

A bus stop in downtown, Mexico City

Need support? Call the toll-free National Street Harassment hotline: 855-897-5910

Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for ideas.

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